Tehachapi man trespassing victim; 148 of his trees chopped down

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A Kern County supervisor announced Friday that four men were prosecuted for trespassing on private residential land and chopping down trees to sell the lumber.

A retired Kern County sheriff's deputy noticed signs of the trespassing on his Tehachapi-area home in March, according to Second District Supervisor Zack Scrivner's office. The property owner informed authorities that his fence had been cut open and trees had been cut down.

Deputies found the perpetrators on the victim's property, cutting down more trees.

The investigation revealed the men cut down 148 trees and had sold the wood to a lumber business in Tehachapi.

The men are also under investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for altering the bed of a nearby creek.